I am 24 today.
I sit silently in the oh-so-tepid bath feeling a bit sorry for myself, if I’m honest.
Oh no – not that.
I didn’t sleep enough, due to a combination of dance music and builders doing overtime, and although I have nothing of the all-over-body can’t brush my teeth tiredness, I still feel rubbish and it has a tendency to spoil things.
I crush a purple seed and it leaves a trail of bubbles behind it. I reach behind me for my shower gel.
I open the bottle and jasmine blooms out of it.
And then I remember. This time last year; too sick to sit up to eat Chinese food. Days later, MindReader and I went on a spa day to rooms full of jasmine-scented steam, and I collapsed into each room to the stares of strangers, too sick to sit up, let alone walk. I spread the jasmine shower gel over me and relish, not only being able to do precisely what i want, with a little tiredness, but knowing that that damn soy sauce in that Chinese was what was making me sick.
I dry myself, dress, and open the door with a smile.
happy birthday! hope you had a fabulous day (I’m only 2.5h late in Cali, promise…)